Measly wage increase highlight need for tuition freeze – Anakbayan

Youth group Anakbayan today slammed the recently-approved P22 daily wage hike for Metro Manila workers as ‘insignificant’ in the face of widespread tuition and other fee hikes this coming school year.

Anakbayan national vice-chairperson Anton Dulce cited as an example the University of the Philippines, where most students pay around P17,000 to 20,000 in tuition and other fees every semester.

“With a minimum wage of P404, workers have to save the equivalent of at least 42 days’ salaries to be able to send their children to UP for one semester. How on earth do you expect them to do that? By not eating for around three months every year?” said the youth leader.

He added “22 pesos is not even enough for a student’s food, commuting, and other daily costs”.

The group meanwhile reiterated its call for a “tuition freeze”, saying the ‘insignificant’ wage hike would not be enough to address the tuition and other fee increases Metro Manila universities and colleges are set to implement.

“The RTWPB’s decision has effectively eliminated wage hikes from the list of emergency measures to prevent more students from dropping out this year. This is an S.O.S to the CHED: implement a tuition freeze now!” said Dulce.